JP7513097B2 - Joining member, joint structure, intermediate structure for joining, and method for manufacturing joint structure - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to joining members, joining structures, joining intermediate structures, and methods for manufacturing joining structures.

Patent Document 1 discloses that the inner and outer panels of an automobile are resin-molded, a urethane adhesive is placed between the inner and outer panels, and the urethane adhesive is hardened by heat treatment to join the inner and outer panels.

Japanese Patent No. 4105519

As shown in Patent Document 1, when an inner panel and an outer panel are joined using a urethane adhesive, there is a problem that the number of work steps is large. Specifically, after performing a cleaning process and a flame treatment on the joining areas of the inner panel and the outer panel, respectively, a primer and a urethane adhesive are applied in order to at least one of the joining areas, and then a pressure bonding and heat curing process are required. Furthermore, the above-mentioned processes include processes that require inspection, and since devices are required to perform each process, a large manufacturing space is required.
In view of the above, a technique capable of joining a plurality of members such as an inner panel and an outer panel in a simple manner is desirable.

This disclosure has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a joining member capable of joining multiple components in a simple manner, as well as a joining structure, a joining intermediate structure, and a method for manufacturing a joining structure using the same.

Specific means for achieving the above object are as follows.
<1> A wire;
a holding portion that holds the wire and includes a resin that melts when heat is generated by passing an electric current through the wire;
A joining member used to join a plurality of members.
<2> The joining member according to <1>, wherein the resin includes at least one selected from the group consisting of an olefin-based thermoplastic elastomer, a styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer, a polyurethane-based thermoplastic elastomer, and a hydrogenated styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer.
<3> The joining member according to <1> or <2>, wherein the holding portion has a recess into which the wire is fitted, and the wire is fitted into the recess.
<4> The joining member according to <3>, wherein at least a portion of the wire fitted in the recess protrudes from a surface of the holding portion.
<5> The joining member according to <3>, wherein a height of a wall surface of the recess facing the wire is greater than a height of the wire fitted in the recess.
<6> The joining member according to <5>, wherein a height of a wall surface of the recess facing the wire is 0.2 mm to 4 mm.
<7> The joining member according to any one of <3> to <6>, wherein the holding portion has a plurality of the recesses, and the wires are fitted into the plurality of recesses, respectively.
<8> The joining member according to <7>, wherein the center-to-center distance between adjacent wires is 0.2 mm to 10 mm.
<9> The joining member according to any one of <3> to <6>, wherein one or more recesses are provided on each of a plurality of surfaces of the holding portion, and the wires are fitted into each of the recesses.
<10> The joining member according to any one of <3> to <6>, wherein one or more recesses are provided on each of two opposing surfaces of the holding portion, and the wires are fitted into each of the recesses.
<11> The bonding member according to any one of <1> to <10>, wherein the wire has a cross-sectional equivalent circle diameter of 0.2 mm to 2.0 mm.

<12> The joining member according to any one of <1> to <11>, wherein a ratio of a volume of the wire to a total volume of the wire and the holding portion is 1/5 to 1/35.
<13> The joining member according to any one of <1> to <12>, wherein the maximum height of the holding portion is 2 mm to 15 mm.
<14> The holding portion includes a base and a protruding portion provided on a surface of the base and protruding outward from the base,
The joining member according to any one of <1> to <13>, wherein the protrusion holds the wire.
<15> The joining member according to <14>, wherein one or more of the protrusions are arranged on each of two opposing surfaces of the base.
<16> The joining member according to <14> or <15>, wherein the thickness of the base is 0.5 mm to 3.0 mm.
<17> The joining member according to any one of <14> to <16>, wherein the protrusions are arranged in a thickness direction of the holding part, and a ratio of the thickness of the base to a sum of maximum heights of the protrusions in the thickness direction, that is, a thickness of base/sum of maximum heights of protrusions, is 0.1 to 1.
<18> A bonding member according to any one of <1> to <17>,
A plurality of members;
Equipped with
The plurality of members includes a first member and a second member opposed to the first member, and the first member and the second member are joined via the joining member, forming a joined structure.
<19> The bonded structure according to <18>, wherein the first member and the second member each independently contain a resin that melts by heat.
<20> The bonded structure according to <18>, wherein the first member and the second member are each independently at least one selected from the group consisting of a polypropylene-based resin, a polyethylene-based resin, a polystyrene-based resin, a polyethylene terephthalate-based resin, a polyvinyl alcohol-based resin, a vinyl chloride-based resin, an ionomer-based resin, a polyamide-based resin, an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer resin, a polycarbonate-based resin, and a polyphenylene sulfide resin.
<21> The bonded structure according to any one of <18> to <20>, wherein at least one of the first member and the second member includes at least one kind selected from metal fibers, inorganic fibers, and organic fibers.
<22> The joined structure according to any one of <18> to <21>, in which one of the first member and the second member is an outer panel, and the other of the first member and the second member is an inner panel.

<23> A first member,
A joining member according to any one of <1> to <17> which is joined to the first member;
Equipped with
the joining member has a first surface joined to the first member and a second surface located opposite to the first surface,
A joining intermediate structure used when joining the first member to the second member via the joining member by heat generated by passing an electric current through the wire with the second surface in contact with the second member.

<24> A method for producing a joint structure according to any one of <18> to <22>,
The joining member has a first surface joined to a first member and a second surface located on the opposite side to the first surface,
a step of joining the first member and the joining member;
and joining the first member to the second member via the joining member by heat generated by passing an electric current through the wire while the second surface is in contact with the second member.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a joining member capable of joining multiple components in a simple manner, as well as a joining structure, a joining intermediate structure, and a method for manufacturing a joining structure using the same.

1 is a front cross-sectional view showing a first embodiment of a joining member of the present disclosure. FIG. FIG. 1 is a front cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of a joining intermediate structure of the present disclosure. 1 is a front cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of a joint structure of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a front cross-sectional view showing another embodiment 1 of a joint structure according to the present disclosure. 1 is a schematic diagram showing Example 1 of a positional relationship between a wire included in a joining member of the present disclosure and a second member. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing Example 2 of the positional relationship between a wire included in a joining member of the present disclosure and a second member. FIG. FIG. 4 is a front cross-sectional view showing a second embodiment of a joining member according to the present disclosure. FIG. 11 is a front cross-sectional view showing a third embodiment of a joining member of the present disclosure. FIG. 13 is a front cross-sectional view showing a fourth embodiment of a joining member of the present disclosure. FIG. 13 is a front cross-sectional view showing a fifth embodiment of a joining member of the present disclosure. FIG. 13 is a front cross-sectional view showing a sixth embodiment of a joining member according to the present disclosure. FIG. 13 is a front cross-sectional view showing a seventh embodiment of a joining member of the present disclosure. FIG. 13 is a front cross-sectional view showing an eighth embodiment of a joining member of the present disclosure. FIG. 13 is a front cross-sectional view showing a ninth embodiment of a joining member of the present disclosure. FIG. 13 is a front cross-sectional view showing a tenth embodiment of a joining member according to the present disclosure. FIG. 23 is a front cross-sectional view showing an eleventh embodiment of a joining member according to the present disclosure. A front cross-sectional view showing another embodiment 2 of the joint structure of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a front cross-sectional view showing another embodiment 3 of a joint structure according to the present disclosure. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the positional relationship between the location of a joining member of the present disclosure, a watertight material, and a first member. FIG.

Below, the form for implementing the present disclosure will be described in detail. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments. In the following embodiments, the components (including element steps, etc.) are not essential unless specifically stated. The same applies to numerical values and their ranges, and do not limit the present disclosure.

In the present disclosure, the term "step" includes not only a step that is independent of other steps, but also a step that cannot be clearly distinguished from other steps as long as the purpose of the step is achieved.
In the present disclosure, the numerical ranges indicated using "to" include the numerical values before and after "to" as the minimum and maximum values, respectively.
In the numerical ranges described in the present disclosure in stages, the upper or lower limit value described in one numerical range may be replaced with the upper or lower limit value of another numerical range described in stages. In addition, in the numerical ranges described in the present disclosure, the upper or lower limit value of the numerical range may be replaced with a value shown in the examples.
In the present disclosure, each component may contain multiple types of corresponding substances.

<Joining materials>
The joining member of the present disclosure comprises a wire and a holding portion that holds the wire and contains a resin that melts due to heat generated by passing an electric current through the wire, and is used to join multiple members.

The joining member of the present disclosure is, for example, disposed between a first member and a second member opposed to the first member, and the resin contained in the retaining portion melts due to heat generated by passing an electric current through the wire while the first member and the second member are crimped together. This allows the first member and the second member to be joined via the joining member. By using the joining member of the present disclosure, it is possible to reduce the processing steps and manufacturing space required when joining multiple members such as an inner panel and an outer panel, and by preparing the joining member of the present disclosure in advance, it is possible to further reduce the work time required when joining multiple members, making it possible to join multiple members in a simple manner.

After disposing the joining member of the present disclosure between a first member and a second member, the first member and the second member may be joined via the joining member by passing a current through the wire while the first member and the second member are in a crimped state. Alternatively, as described below, a joining intermediate structure in which the first member is previously joined to the joining member may be prepared, and the joining member in the joining intermediate structure may be crimped to the second member while passing a current through the wire to join the first member and the second member.

In addition, for a joined structure in which multiple members are joined via a joining member, heat can be generated by passing an electric current through a wire included in the joined structure, which melts the resin included in the retaining portion to separate the first member and the second member that constitute the joined structure, improving dismantling and recyclability. For example, by generating heat by passing an electric current through the wire as described above, one of the separated first member and second member can be replaced with a new member. More specifically, if one of the first member and the second member is the outer panel of a back door, only the outer panel can be separated and replaced with a new outer panel when repairing the back door, etc.

(wire)
The joining member of the present disclosure includes a wire that generates heat when an electric current is passed through it. The material of the wire is not particularly limited as long as it is a substance that generates heat when an electric current is passed through it, and examples of the wire include metals such as nickel, chromium, iron, tungsten, and molybdenum, metal alloys such as nickel-chromium alloys, iron-chromium alloys, and stainless steel, and ceramics.

The equivalent circular diameter of the wire cross section is not particularly limited and may be, for example, 0.2 mm to 2.0 mm, or 0.6 mm to 1.2 mm.

(Holding part)
The joining member of the present disclosure includes a holding portion that holds a wire and contains a resin that melts due to heat generated by passing an electric current through the wire.

The resin preferably contains at least one selected from the group consisting of olefin-based thermoplastic elastomers, styrene-based thermoplastic elastomers, polyurethane-based thermoplastic elastomers, and hydrogenated styrene-based thermoplastic elastomers. For example, when multiple members such as the first member and the second member contain resins, it is preferable that the resin contained in the joining member is the same type as the resin contained in the multiple members. For example, when the resin contained in the multiple members is a polyethylene-based resin, a polypropylene-based resin, or the like, it is preferable that the resin contained in the joining member contains an olefin-based thermoplastic elastomer.

The structure of the holding part is not particularly limited as long as it has a structure capable of holding the wire, and may have any structure according to the shapes of the multiple members to be joined via the joining member. In addition, the structure in which the holding part holds the wire may be, for example, a structure in which the holding part contains the wire, a structure in which the holding part has a recess into which the wire is fitted and the wire is fitted into the recess, or a structure in which the wire is fixed to the holding part while exposed from the holding part.

When the wire is fitted in the recess, at least a portion of the wire fitted in the recess may or may not protrude from the surface of the holding part. By having at least a portion of the wire protrude from the surface of the holding part, heat generated from the wire can be efficiently applied to a member that contacts the joining member by contacting the wire with the member, and when the member contains a resin that melts due to heat, it becomes easier to ensure the joining strength between the joining member and the member.

In the case where at least a part of the wire fitted in the recess does not protrude from the surface of the holding part, it is preferable that the height of the wall surface facing the wire fitted in the recess is greater than the height of the wire fitted in the recess, which tends to absorb surface gap variations between the members at the time of joining caused by differences in materials when members made of different materials are used as the multiple members.
Furthermore, the ratio of the height of the wall surface facing the wire fitted into the recess to the height of the wire fitted into the recess (wall surface height/wire height) may be greater than 1, and for example, from the standpoint of absorbing surface gap variations, it is preferable that the ratio is greater than 1 and not greater than 3, and more preferably 1.5 to 2.

When a wire is fitted into the recess, the height of the wall surface facing the wire fitted into the recess is preferably 0.2 mm to 4 mm, and more preferably 0.3 mm to 4 mm.

When the holding portion has a recess, the number of recesses is not particularly limited and may be set appropriately depending on the types and sizes, etc. of the multiple components to be joined via the joining member, the type of resin contained in the joining member, the size of the joining member, etc.

In one embodiment of the joining member of the present disclosure, the holding portion may have a plurality of recesses, and the wires may be fitted into the plurality of recesses. By passing an electric current through the plurality of wires to generate heat, the amount of melted resin can be increased, which tends to increase the joining strength of the plurality of members.

When the holding portion has multiple recesses, the center-to-center distance between adjacent wires is preferably 0.2 mm to 10 mm, and more preferably 0.2 mm to 4 mm, in order to increase the bonding strength of multiple components.

The ratio of the volume of the wire to the total volume of the wire and the holding part is preferably 1/5 to 1/35, and more preferably 1/9 to 1/25, in order to ensure the amount of resin that melts when heat is generated by passing an electric current through the wire and in order to ensure the bonding strength of the bonding member.
When the joining member includes a plurality of wires, the above ratio may be read as "the ratio of the total volume of the plurality of wires to the total volume of the plurality of wires and the holding portion."

The maximum height of the holding portion is preferably 2 mm to 15 mm, and more preferably 3 mm to 8 mm.

When the holding part has a plurality of recesses, the plurality of recesses may be provided on one surface of the holding part, or the plurality of surfaces of the holding part may have one or more recesses. The number of recesses provided on the plurality of surfaces may be the same or different.
By providing one or more recesses on multiple surfaces of the holding part, wires can be fitted into the recesses on the multiple surfaces. This allows a member arranged on one surface of the holding part to be joined to a member arranged on another surface of the holding part via a joining member by passing an electric current through the multiple wires to generate heat. Furthermore, since multiple members can be joined by passing an electric current through the multiple wires, vibration welding, ultrasonic welding, etc. are not required.

When one or more recesses are provided on multiple surfaces of the holding portion, one or more recesses may be provided on each of two opposing surfaces. The two opposing surfaces may be two surfaces that intersect with the vertical direction, preferably two surfaces that are perpendicular to the vertical direction, or may be two surfaces that are parallel to the vertical direction.

When one or more recesses are provided on each of two opposing surfaces, the number of recesses on one surface and the number of recesses on the other surface may be the same or different. Furthermore, the arrangement of the recesses on one surface and the arrangement of the recesses on the other surface may be plane symmetric or asymmetric.

When one or more recesses are provided on each of the one surface and the other surface, the recesses on one surface and the recesses on the other surface may be positioned alternately (e.g., in a zigzag pattern) along one direction (e.g., the length direction of the holding part). Holding the wire in the alternating recesses tends to increase the bonding strength of multiple components via the joining member.

When the holding portion holds the wire, the base constituting the holding portion may be structured to hold the wire, or the holding portion may be structured to include a base and a protrusion provided on the surface of the base and protruding outward from the base, with the protrusion holding the wire.

The protrusion is not particularly limited as long as it has a structure that protrudes outward from the surface of the base that constitutes the holding part. Examples of the shape of the protrusion include a cylindrical shape, a conical shape, a tapered shape, an inverse tapered shape, a rectangular shape, a polygonal columnar shape, a trapezoid shape, a mushroom shape, a hemisphere, a semi-ellipsoid, and the like. In addition, the protrusion may be entirely rounded or entirely pointed, or a part such as the tip may be rounded or pointed.

When the protrusion holds the wire, the position at which the wire is held is not particularly limited. For example, the wire may be held near the bottom surface of the protrusion, near the center of the protrusion in the height direction, or near the apex of the protrusion. The configuration in which the protrusion holds the wire may be such that the wire is contained within the protrusion without being exposed from the protrusion, or the wire may be held by the protrusion with a portion of the wire exposed from the protrusion. As described below, the wire may be fitted into a recess provided in the protrusion.

When the wire is fitted into the recess, a recess may be provided in a base constituting the holding part, and the wire may be fitted into the recess provided in the base, or the holding part may comprise a base and a protrusion provided on the surface of the base and protruding outward from the base, a recess may be provided in the protrusion, and the wire may be fitted into the recess provided in the protrusion.

When a recess is provided in the protrusion, the position of the recess is not particularly limited; for example, the recess may be provided on the side of the protrusion, or the recess may be provided at the apex of the protrusion.

When the holding portion has a protrusion, the number of protrusions is not particularly limited and may be set appropriately depending on the type, size, etc. of the multiple components to be joined via the joining member, the type of resin contained in the joining member, the size of the joining member, the shape of the components to be joined, etc. When the holding portion has multiple protrusions, the shapes, sizes, etc. of the multiple protrusions may be the same or different.

When the holding portion has a base and a protrusion, one or more protrusions may be provided on one surface side of the base, or one or more protrusions may be provided on multiple surface sides of the base. The number of protrusions provided on the multiple surfaces may be the same or different.

When one or more protrusions are provided on multiple faces of the base, one or more protrusions may be provided on each of the two opposing faces. The two opposing faces may be two faces that intersect with the vertical direction, preferably two faces that are perpendicular to the vertical direction, or may be two faces that are parallel to the vertical direction. When one or more protrusions are provided on each of the two opposing faces, the number of protrusions provided on one face and the number of protrusions provided on the other face may be the same or different. In addition, the arrangement of the protrusions provided on one face and the arrangement of the protrusions provided on the other face may be plane symmetric or asymmetric.

The thickness of the base may be between 0.5 mm and 3 mm, between 0.6 mm and 1.5 mm, or between 0.8 mm and 1.2 mm.

The maximum height of the protrusions may be 0.5 mm to 10 mm, 1 mm to 5 mm, or 1.5 mm to 3 mm. When one or more protrusions are disposed on each of two opposing faces of the base, the maximum height of the protrusions may be 0.5 mm to 5 mm, 0.8 mm to 3 mm, or 1 mm to 2 mm.

When a protrusion is provided in the thickness direction of the holding part, the ratio of the thickness of the base to the sum of the maximum heights of the protrusions in the thickness direction (thickness of the base/sum of the maximum heights of the protrusions) may be 0.1 to 1, 0.15 to 0.8, or 0.2 to 0.5.
The sum of the maximum heights of the protrusions in the thickness direction means the maximum height of the protrusions when the protrusions are disposed on only one surface of the base intersecting the thickness direction, or means the sum of the maximum height of the protrusions disposed on one of the two surfaces and the maximum height of the protrusions disposed on the other of the two surfaces when the protrusions are disposed on each of the two opposing surfaces of the base intersecting the thickness direction.

By making the thickness of the base 3 mm or less, or by making the thickness of the base relatively thin by making the sum of the thickness of the base and the maximum height of the protrusion 1 or less, it is possible to easily arrange multiple joining members between multiple members that are at different distances depending on the location. Furthermore, by passing an electric current through the wire to generate heat, the resin that constitutes the protrusion can be melted, allowing the protrusion to conform to the shape of the multiple members and to suitably fill the gaps between the members and the joining members.

(Multiple members)
The multiple members to be joined using the joining member of the present disclosure are not particularly limited as long as they can be adhered to the joining member, and each of them independently includes a member containing a metal such as iron or aluminum, an alloy containing the above-mentioned metal, a member containing a resin that melts by heat, a member containing a resin that melts by heat and at least one of inorganic fibers such as carbon fiber, glass fiber, or basalt fiber, metal fiber, and organic fibers such as aramid fiber or cellulose fiber, etc.
The metals, alloys, thermoplastic resins, inorganic fibers, metal fibers, organic fibers, etc. that can be contained in the multiple components may be one type or two or more types.

The multiple members joined using the joining member of the present disclosure may include a first member and a second member, and the first member and the second member may be joined via the joining member.

It is preferable that the first member and the second member are each independently a member containing a resin that melts by heat. The first member and the second member may each independently be a member containing a resin that melts by heat or a member containing a resin that melts by heat and inorganic fibers, organic fibers, etc., and from the viewpoint of being more suitable for fusion joining, it is preferable that the first member and the second member are members that contain a resin that melts by heat and do not contain inorganic fibers, organic fibers, etc.

As the resin that melts due to heat that may be contained in the first member, second member, and other multiple members, at least one selected from the group consisting of polyethylene-based resins, polypropylene-based resins, polystyrene-based resins, polyethylene terephthalate-based resins, polyvinyl alcohol-based resins, vinyl chloride-based resins, ionomer-based resins, polyamide-based resins, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer resins, polycarbonate-based resins, and polyphenylene sulfide resins is preferred. Among these, polypropylene-based resins are preferred from the standpoint of cost and mass.

The multiple members such as the first member and the second member are not particularly limited and may include various molded members, more specifically, reinforcing members such as reinforcements (e.g., hinges, side hinges, locks), outer panels, inner panels, etc. For example, one of the first member and the second member may be an outer panel, and the other of the first member and the second member may be an inner panel. In addition, the outer panel may be the outer panel of a back door, and the inner panel may be the inner panel of a back door.

A primer layer may be formed on the surface of each of the first and second members facing the joining member, which tends to increase the joining strength when the joining member is joined to the first and second members.
The region on which the primer layer is formed is not particularly limited as long as it includes a portion that comes into contact with the joining member.

When forming a primer layer on a first member, a second member, etc., the primer layer may be formed on all members, or may be formed on some of the members. For example, the primer layer may be formed on both the first member and the second member, or may be formed on only one of the first member and the second member.

<Jointed structure>
The joint structure of the present disclosure includes the joint member of the present disclosure and a plurality of members, the plurality of members including a first member and a second member facing the first member, and the first member and the second member are joined via the joint member. Preferred forms of the first member and the second member include the preferred forms of the first member and the second member described in the above-mentioned section on the joint member of the present disclosure. A plurality of the joint members of the present disclosure may be disposed between the first member and the second member.

A watertight material may be placed between the first member and the second member. This may prevent moisture from entering the inside of the joined structure. The watertight material is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include butyl rubber, Eptsealer (registered trademark), etc.

<Method of manufacturing bonded structure>
Hereinafter, an example of a method for manufacturing a joint structure according to the present disclosure will be described. The example of the method for manufacturing a joint structure according to the present disclosure includes a step of joining a first member and the joining member according to the present disclosure, the joining member having a first surface to be joined to a first member and a second surface located on the opposite side to the first surface (hereinafter also referred to as a "first joining step"), and a step of joining the first member to the second member via the joining member by heat generated by passing an electric current through the wire with the second surface in contact with the second member (hereinafter also referred to as a "second joining step").

In the manufacturing method disclosed herein, the second joining step may be performed after the first joining step, or the first and second joining steps may be performed in a single step. By performing the second joining step after the first joining step, it tends to be possible to absorb the distortion due to the difference in strength and stiffness and the difference in thermal expansion and contraction caused by the difference in materials when members made of different materials are used as the first member and the second member.

When the second joining step is performed after the first joining step, the first joining step may be performed by carrying out, for example, either of the following (1) or (2).
(1) A first surface of the joining member of the present disclosure holding a wire is joined to a first member by vibration welding, ultrasonic welding, or the like.
(2) A joining member having a wire and a holding portion is manufactured by integral molding such as extrusion molding, and the first surface of the resulting joining member is joined to the first member by vibration welding, ultrasonic welding, or the like.

For example, by carrying out either (1) or (2) described above, an intermediate structure for joining as disclosed below can be obtained.

In joining by ultrasonic welding or the like, it is preferable to provide a watertight sealant between the first surface of the joining member and the first member. From the viewpoint of cost, an example of a watertight sealant is ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM).

When the second joining step is performed after the first joining step, it is preferable to perform the second joining step after performing either (1) or (2) described above. The second joining step may be performed in a state in which the second surface of the joining member and the second member are crimped together.

The amount of current passed through the wire and the duration of current flow can be adjusted as appropriate depending on the material of the wire, the type of resin contained in the joining material, the size of the joining material, etc.

On the other hand, when the first joining step and the second joining step are performed in a single step, the first surface of the joining member is brought into contact with the first member, and the second surface of the joining member is brought into contact with the second member, and a current is passed through the wire to join the first member and the second member via the joining member. At this time, the first member, the joining member, and the second member may be in a crimped state.

<Intermediate structure for joining>
The intermediate structure for joining of the present disclosure includes a first member and the joining member of the present disclosure described above that is joined to the first member, the joining member having a first surface that is joined to the first member and a second surface located opposite to the first surface, and is used when joining the first member to the second member via the joining member by heat generated by passing an electric current through the wire with the second surface in contact with the second member. The intermediate structure for joining of the present disclosure is formed by previously joining the first member to the joining member, and is used to obtain a joined structure by joining the second surface to the second member.

Specific embodiments of the joining member of the present disclosure, the joining intermediate structure of the present disclosure, and the joining structure of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 8. The present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Furthermore, the sizes of the members in each figure are conceptual, and the relative relationships in size between the members are not limited to these.

(Joining member of the first embodiment)
1 is a front cross-sectional view showing a first embodiment of a joint member according to the present disclosure. The joint member 10 of the first embodiment includes a plurality of wires 1 and a holding portion 2 having a recess 3. The holding portion 2 has the recess 3 into which the wire 1 is fitted.

As shown in Figure 1, a portion of the wire 1 fitted into the recess 3 protrudes from the surface of the holding portion 2. In addition, in the joining member 10, the holding portion 2 has an uneven structure, and the recess 3 into which the wire 1 fits is provided in the protruding portion of the uneven structure, and there are recessed portions between adjacent protruding portions where the wire 1 is not disposed.

2 is a front cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of the intermediate structure for joining of the present disclosure. The intermediate structure for joining 100 of one embodiment includes a joining member 10 and a first member 6. The joining member 10 has a first surface 4 and a second surface 5 located on the opposite side of the first surface 4, and the first surface 4 is joined to the first member 6. The first surface 4 and the first member 6 may be joined by vibration welding, ultrasonic welding, or the like, or the first surface 4 and the first member 6 may be joined by forming the holding portion 2 of the joining member 10 on the first member 6 by insert molding or the like. For example, when the first surface 4 and the first member 6 are joined by ultrasonic welding, the location a shown in FIG. 2 may be the ultrasonic joining location, and a watertight sealant may be provided at the location b shown in FIG. 2. The ultrasonic joining location and the location of the watertight sealant are not limited to the locations shown in FIG. 2, and may be changed as appropriate.

(One embodiment of the bonded structure)
3 is a front cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of the joint structure of the present disclosure. The joint structure 200 of one embodiment includes a joint member 10, a first member 6, and a second member 7, and the first member 6 and the second member 7 are joined via the joint member 10. The joint structure 200 can be manufactured, for example, by passing a current through the wire 1 in a state in which the second surface 5 of the intermediate structure 100 for joining shown in FIG. 2 is in contact with the second member 7, or in a state in which the first surface 4 of the joint member 10 is in contact with the first member 6 and the second surface 5 of the joint member 10 is in contact with the second member 7. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3, the second member 7 has an uneven structure corresponding to the uneven structure of the holding portion 2, preferably an uneven structure in which the second member 7 fits into the uneven structure of the holding portion 2, thereby increasing the contact area between the joint member 10 and the second member 7, and the joint strength between the joint member 10 and the second member 7 is excellent.

(Another embodiment 1 of the bonded structure)
4 is a front cross-sectional view showing another embodiment 1 of the joint structure of the present disclosure. The joint structure 300 of the other embodiment 1 differs from the joint structure 200 of the embodiment in that there is a gap between the left end when viewed from the front and the joint member 10, and the side surface of the joint member 10 is not in contact with the second member 7 at the right end when viewed from the front.

5 and 6 respectively show examples 1 and 2 of the positional relationship between the wire included in the joining member of the present disclosure and the second member. In Figs. 5 and 6, a structure in which the second member is joined to the joining member is shown, and for simplification, the holding portion is omitted from the illustration.

In FIG. 5, a first member 16 and a second member 17 to be joined using a joining member are shown, and the wire 11 is arranged around the second member 17 by joining the second member 17 to the joining member. The first member 16 and the second member 17 are crimped together via the joining member, and a voltage is applied to one wire 11 to pass a current through the wire, thereby dissolving the resin contained in the joining member, thereby joining the first member 16 and the second member 17. The positions of the start and end points of the wire are not particularly limited, and may be, for example, vertically above the second member, or on the right or left side. A plurality of wires may be arranged in parallel around the second member 17.

6, the second member 17 may be joined to a joining member so that two wires 21, 31 are arranged around the second member 17. The wire 21 is arranged around the lower side of the second member 17 in the vertical direction, and the wire 31 is arranged around the upper side of the second member 17 in the vertical direction.

The arrangement of the wires is not limited to the configurations shown in Figures 5 and 6. For example, a joining member having a wire may be joined to the first member, the start and end points of the wire may be positioned other than those shown in Figure 5, and two wires may be positioned on the right and left sides of the second member, respectively. Also, from the viewpoint of watertightness that suppresses contact between the wires and external water when a joined structure is formed, it is preferable to have a small number of wires.

(Joining member of second embodiment)
7 is a front cross-sectional view showing a second embodiment of a joining member of the present disclosure. A joining member 20 of the second embodiment includes a plurality of wires 1 and a holding portion 12 having a recess 13. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a part of the wire fitted in the recess does not protrude from the surface of the holding portion, and the height of the wall surface facing the wire fitted in the recess is greater than the height of the wire fitted in the recess.

7, h1 represents the height of the wire 1 fitted in the recess 13, h2 represents the height of the wall surface facing the wire 1 fitted in the recess 13, h3 represents the maximum height of the retaining portion 12, and d1 represents the center-to-center distance between adjacent wires 1. As described above, the joining member 20 satisfies h1<h2.

(Joining member of third embodiment)
8 is a front cross-sectional view showing a third embodiment of a joining member of the present disclosure. A joining member 30 of the third embodiment includes a plurality of wires 1 and a holding portion 22 that fits the plurality of wires 1. The third embodiment differs from the second embodiment in that recesses and protrusions into which the wires are fitted are alternately arranged, and there is no recessed portion into which the wires are not fitted.

(Joining member of the fourth embodiment)
9 is a front cross-sectional view showing a fourth embodiment of a joint member of the present disclosure. A joint member 40 of the fourth embodiment includes a plurality of wires 1 and a holding portion 32 that holds the plurality of wires 1 therein, and the holding portion 32 has protrusions 33 that protrude in one direction at both ends of the holding portion when viewed from the front. The fourth embodiment differs from the third embodiment in that the plurality of wires are disposed inside the holding portion and have protrusions at both ends.
The shape and position of the protrusion 33 are not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 9, but can be changed as appropriate according to the shapes of the multiple members to be joined using the joining member.

(Joining member of the fifth embodiment)
10 is a front cross-sectional view showing a fifth embodiment of the joint member of the present disclosure. The joint member 50 of the fifth embodiment includes a plurality of wires 1 and a holding portion 42 that holds the plurality of wires 1 therein. The fifth embodiment differs from the fourth embodiment in that the joint member 50 does not have protrusions on both ends.

(Joining member of the sixth embodiment)
11 is a front cross-sectional view showing a sixth embodiment of a joint member according to the present disclosure. In the sixth embodiment, a joint member 60 has recesses provided on two opposing side surfaces of a holding portion 52, and a wire 1 is fitted into each recess.

(Joining member of the seventh embodiment)
12 is a front cross-sectional view showing a seventh embodiment of the joining member of the present disclosure. In the joining member 70 of the seventh embodiment, recesses are provided on two opposing surfaces of the holding portion 62 that are perpendicular to the vertical direction, and the wires 1A and 1B are fitted into the respective recesses. The wires 1A and 1B are positioned in a zigzag shape along the length direction of the holding portion 62. By passing a current through the wires 1A and 1B, a plurality of members that face each other in the thickness direction can be joined via the joining member 70, making vibration welding, ultrasonic welding, and the like unnecessary.

(Joining member of eighth embodiment)
13 is a front cross-sectional view showing an eighth embodiment of the joint member of the present disclosure. In the eighth embodiment of the joint member 80A, the holding portion includes a base 72 and a plurality of protrusions 73, and the plurality of protrusions 73 enclose the wire 1 near the bottom surface. The plurality of protrusions 73 are provided on the surface of the base 72 and protrude outward from the base 72. The protrusions 72 may be tapered as shown in the figure, or may have other shapes. The heights of the plurality of protrusions 73 may be the same or different.
In FIG. 13, h4 means the thickness of the base, and h5 means the maximum height of the protrusion.

(Joining member of ninth embodiment)
14 is a front cross-sectional view showing a ninth embodiment of a joint member of the present disclosure. The joint member 80B of the ninth embodiment differs from the joint member 80A of the eighth embodiment in that the plurality of protrusions 73 hold the wire 1 in an exposed state near the apex of each protrusion 73.

(Joining member of tenth embodiment)
15 is a front cross-sectional view showing a tenth embodiment of the joint member of the present disclosure. The tenth embodiment of the joint member 80C differs from the eighth embodiment of the joint member 80B in that a plurality of protrusions 73 hold the wire 1 in an exposed state at their apexes, and there are no sharp-angled tips of the protrusions.

(Joining member of eleventh embodiment)
FIG. 16 is a front cross-sectional view showing an eleventh embodiment of the joint member of the present disclosure. In the joint member 90 of the eleventh embodiment, the holding portion includes a base 82 and protrusions 83 to 88. The protrusions 83 to 88 are perpendicular to the vertical direction and are provided on two opposing surfaces of the base 82. Of the two opposing surfaces, tapered protrusions 83 to 85 with different widths are arranged on the vertical lower surface. A tapered protrusion 86, a columnar protrusion 87, and a semi-ellipsoidal protrusion 88 are arranged on the vertical upper surface. The shapes of the protrusions 83 to 88 are not limited to those shown in FIG. 16, and may be all or partly the same, or all different. The heights of the protrusions 83 to 88 may be all or partly the same, or all different.
In FIG. 16, h6 means the thickness of the base, h7 and h8 mean the maximum heights of the protrusions, and h7+h8 means the sum of the maximum heights of the protrusions in the thickness direction.

(Another embodiment 2 of the bonded structure)
17 is a front cross-sectional view showing another embodiment 2 of the joint structure of the present disclosure. The joint structure 400 of the other embodiment 2 includes a joint member 70, a first member 6, a second member 7, and primer layers 8 and 9, and the first member 6 and the joint member 70 are joined via the primer layer 8, and the second member 7 and the joint member 70 are joined via the primer layer 9. By providing the primer layers 8 and 9, the joint strength between the first member 6 and the joint member 70 and the joint strength between the second member 7 and the joint member 70 are excellent.

(Another embodiment 3 of the bonded structure)
18 is a front cross-sectional view showing another embodiment 3 of the joined structure of the present disclosure. The joined structure 500 of the other embodiment 3 includes a joining member 70, a first member 6, a second member 7, and a butyl rubber 91 which is a watertight material. The first member 6 and the second member 7 are joined via the joining member 70, and the butyl rubber 91 is disposed between the first member 6 and the second member 7. This prevents moisture from entering the inside of the joined structure 500.

Figure 19 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the positional relationship between the location of the joining member of the present disclosure, the watertight material, and the first member. A watertight material 18 (e.g., butyl rubber) is arranged around the first member 16. Furthermore, the joining member may be arranged in the portion covered by the dotted line in Figure 19. It is preferable to join the first member 16 and a second member (not shown) by arranging the joining member in the linear portion excluding the corners on the outer periphery of the first member 16 as shown by the dotted line.

The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-127665, filed on July 28, 2020, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
All publications, patent applications, and standards mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent application, or standard was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

Claims (21)

Wire and
a holding portion that holds the wire along a length direction and includes a resin that melts when heat is generated by passing an electric current through the wire;
Equipped with
A joining member used to join multiple components, wherein there are multiple wires, the holding portion has multiple recesses into which the wires are fitted, and one or more recesses are provided on each of multiple faces of the holding portion, and each of the multiple wires is fitted into the recesses . The joining member according to claim 1, wherein the resin contains at least one selected from the group consisting of an olefin-based thermoplastic elastomer, a styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer, a polyurethane-based thermoplastic elastomer, and a hydrogenated styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer. The joining member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least a portion of the wire fitted in the recess protrudes from the surface of the holding portion. The joining member according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the height of the wall surface of the recess facing the wire is greater than the height of the wire fitted into the recess. The joining member according to claim 4, wherein the height of the wall surface of the recess facing the wire is 0.2 mm to 4 mm. The joining member according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the center-to-center distance between adjacent wires is 0.2 mm to 10 mm. The joining member according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein one or more recesses are provided on each of two opposing surfaces of the holding portion, and a plurality of the wires are fitted into each of the recesses. The joining member according to any one of claims 1 to 7 , wherein the cross-sectional equivalent circle diameter of the wire is 0.2 mm to 2.0 mm. The joining member according to any one of claims 1 to 8 , wherein a ratio of a volume of the wire to a total volume of the wire and the holding portion is 1/5 to 1/35. The joining member according to any one of claims 1 to 9 , wherein the maximum height of the holding portion is 2 mm to 15 mm. The holding portion includes a base and a protrusion provided on a surface of the base and protruding outward from the base,
The joining member according to any one of claims 1 to 10 , wherein the protrusion holds the wire. The joining member according to claim 11 , wherein one or more of the protrusions are disposed on each of two opposing surfaces of the base. The joining member according to claim 11 or 12 , wherein the thickness of the base portion is 0.5 mm to 3.0 mm. The joining member according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the protrusions are arranged in a thickness direction of the holding portion, and a ratio of the thickness of the base to the sum of the maximum heights of the protrusions in the thickness direction, i.e., a thickness of the base/a sum of the maximum heights of the protrusions, is 0.1 to 1. A joining member according to any one of claims 1 to 14 ,
A plurality of members;
Equipped with
The plurality of members includes a first member and a second member opposed to the first member, and the first member and the second member are joined via the joining member, forming a joined structure. The joint structure according to claim 15 , wherein the first member and the second member each independently contain a resin that melts when exposed to heat. The bonded structure according to claim 15, wherein the first member and the second member are each independently at least one selected from the group consisting of polypropylene-based resin, polyethylene-based resin, polystyrene-based resin, polyethylene terephthalate-based resin, polyvinyl alcohol-based resin, vinyl chloride-based resin, ionomer-based resin, polyamide-based resin, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer resin, polycarbonate- based resin, and polyphenylene sulfide resin. The bonded structure according to any one of claims 15 to 17 , wherein at least one of the first member and the second member contains at least one kind selected from metal fibers, inorganic fibers, and organic fibers. The joint structure according to any one of claims 15 to 18 , wherein one of the first member and the second member is an outer panel, and the other of the first member and the second member is an inner panel. A first member;
A joining member according to any one of claims 1 to 14 which is joined to the first member;
Equipped with
the joining member has a first surface joined to the first member and a second surface located opposite to the first surface,
A joining intermediate structure used when joining a first member to a second member via the joining member by heat generated by passing an electric current through a plurality of the wires while the second surface is in contact with the second member. A method for producing the joint structure according to any one of claims 15 to 19 , comprising the steps of:
The joining member has a first surface joined to a first member and a second surface located on the opposite side to the first surface,
a step of joining the first member and the joining member;
and joining the first member to the second member via the joining member by heat generated by passing an electric current through the multiple wires while the second surface is in contact with the second member.